without your permission, madam

One thing I've been meaning to do for some time is ask a member of the public if I can take their picture. Obviously the failure to do so up until now hasn't stopped me from sneaky-clicking them but there has been the odd one or several which I feel might have benefited from the closer framing and less-rushed capture which would only have been possible in such situations by asking the person involved and getting them to stay still for a few seconds.

Of course, it could equally have gone wrong by their dropping their stance or ceasing to exhibit their interesting behaviour (which is probably exactly what caught my eye about them) the minute they knew someone was watching.

Hmmm.

This one would have worked a lot better if I'd been a lot closer so that there were more light sources silhouetting the girl at the bus stop but I stayed out of earshot to take the shot in case the shutterflap alarmed her, especially given the location, darkness and the hulking, hooded figure looming from the east. Knowing that there was a slighter but taller and unhooded-but-hoodie-wearing figure approaching from the west simultaneously might have given her a scare.

It might also have been a little threatening/odd to ask someone if you could take their picture then scuttling behind them and asking them not to look backwards. Nonchalant poses are quite difficult to do deliberately, too. I passed a similar relaxed-hip-bus-stop-texting-waiting-lean yesterday on North Bridge but couldn't snap it as I was navigating the bustling hordes of shop-blinded directionally-challenged retail-victims and Nicky had her arm through my camera-elbow so had to get this one by whatever means possible to make up for it.

I don't generally do this New Year's Resolution bollocks but shall instead vow to ask a complete stranger if I can take their picture within the next 468 blips.